Electronically-controlled drive mechanism particularly for clocks

ABSTRACT

A drive mechanism for clocks includes a stabilized transistor oscillator. One or more drive coils within the oscillator circuit are located adjacent poles provided about the circumference of a rotor wheel mounted on the same shaft as a drive pinion. The magnetic interaction between the drive coils and the poles causes a rotation of the wheel.

United States Patent Inventor Appl. No.

Filed Patented Assignee Priority Karl Schmidt Achern, Baden, Germany Apr. 8, 1968 May 25, 1971 Firma GEHAP Gesellschaft fuer Handel und Patentverwertung mbH& Co. KG., Achern, Baden, Germany Apr. 8, 1967 Germany ELECTRONICALLY-CONTROLLED DRIVE MECHANISM PARTICULARLY FOR CLOCKS 13 Claims, 13 Drawing Figs.

U.S.Cl

Int.Cl

[50] Field of Search .L 58/23, 26, 23 (A),23 (AD),23 (S), 28, 116; 318/14, 129; 331/156 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,250,066 5/1966 Englehardt et a1 5 8/23 3,026,458 3/1962 Freystedt et a1. 58/28 Primary Examiner-Richard B. Wilkinson Assistant ExaminerEdith C. Simmons Attorney-Otto John Munz ABSTRACT: A drive mechanism for clocks includes a stabilized transistor oscillator. One or more drive coils within the oscillator circuit are located adjacent poles provided about the circumference of a rotor wheel mounted on the same shaft asa drive pinion. The magnetic interaction between the drive coils and the poles causes a rotation of the wheel.

'PATENTEB mam 3579.974

SHEET 1 BF 3 m 2%;? e f L g- 2 :1;

2a asc/LLAT/A/a 1 J CIRCUIT lnven/or Karl Schmidt BY W, M471 ATTORNEY PATENTEnmzslsn 3579.974

sum 2 or 3 A A. "ll" Illlll llll Ill wwwivw OOQOQQQQQ lnvenlar:

Kori Sch midi PATENTEnmzsmn 3579-874 sum a (If 3 Fig. I2

L L [5&- oii ua 00a lnve'o/or:

Karl Schmidt AT TORN. Y

ELECTRONICALLY-CONTROLLED DRIVE MECHANISM PARTICULARLY FOR CLOCKS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an electronically-controlled drive gear mechanism or system, particularly for clocks, with an electronic oscillating circuit wiring or connection having either oscillating fork stabilization, quartz stabilization, or self-stabilization, and comprising either one or several oscillator coils.

As is well known, different drive principles are used in the field of modern clock actuating systems. They consist of the so-called rotary oscillators, pendulum oscillators, or rotors moved by means of oscillating forks as the basic driving elements. All of these drive principles have in common an electronic oscillating circuit wiring or connection which retains the mechanical element, once it has been given an impulse, in a rotating, pendulum, or oscillating movement by means of short magnetic pulses. Batteries serve as energy sources and have greater or lesser capacity and are only negligibly stressed by reason of the layout or design of the electronic circuits as very economical wattless or idle current circuits.

SUMMARY or THE INVENTION The present invention is based on the object of providing an electronically-controlled drive mechanism or system, particularly for clocks, which may be constructed very simply and hence inexpensively while nevertheless having an extremely high degree of operating accuracy. Proposed for obtaining this object is an electronically-controlled drive mechanism or system, particularly for clocks, with an electronic oscillating circuit connection or wiring which is either stabilized by an oscillator fork, quartz-stabilized, or self-stabilized and comprises either 'one or several oscillator coils, which system is characterized in' that the oscillator coils serve the dual purpose of simultaneously being (1) part of an LC combination in the oscillating circuit and (2) creating an electromagnetic field for magnetically driving a permanent magnetic rotor wheel which drives the clock mechanism. The difference with respect to the heretofore known electronic-mechanical actuating systems accordingly consists in that the oscillator coil and/or coils of the stabilized oscillating circuit are simultaneously employed as actuating coils for the rotor as well as elements, of the circuit. This construction affords the advantage that the electronic oscillating circuit together with the stabilization, or stabilizing means, thereof may be accommodated anywhere within the drive system and must not be positioned directly at the rotor wheel. Moreover, a very high degree of accuracy is attained by reason of the magnetic-inductive transmission of the oscillating coil energy to the rotor wheel.

According to a particular embodiment of the present invention, the rotor wheel consists of a thin metallic disc with several tongues being provided at the circumference thereof which are excited by a concentricallydisposed permanent magnet for the formation of magnetic poles, and positioned opposite these teeth or cogs are the oscillator coil and/or coils. The rotor wheel may also consist of a ferrite jacket with magnetic poles which are magnetized thereon and opposite which the oscillator coils having ferromagnetic cores are positioned, and be retained in a rotary movement by means of the magnetic pulses of the oscillator coils at the rate of the switching frequency.

The present invention will be further described hereinbelow in several preferred embodiments thereof and in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I illustrates a principal diagram of the electronicallycontrolled drive system proposed by the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustratesthe principal diagram of a modified construction according to FIG. I;

FIG. 3 illustrates a first form of construction of a rotor wheel in a cross-sectional view thereof;

FIG. 4 illustrates in detail a further embodiment of a rotor wheel with the respectively coordinated actuating coils;

FIG. 5 illustrates the pulse curves of the two coils;

FIG. 6 illustrates another form of construction of the rotor wheel in detail;

FIG. 7 illustrates a further arrangement of the drive system proposed by the present invention;

FIG. 8 shows a detail ofthe embodiment according to FIG. 7 in a cross-sectional view in the plane A-A;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a particular actuating coil; and

FIGS. 10 to 13 illustrate preferred wiring arrangements for the oscillating circuit actuating the rotor wheel.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Schematic representations of the invention are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral I is used to identify an oscillating circuit connection which is fed by a battery 2 and which will be further described below. The oscillating circuit connection is in operative connection with a control coil 3 and;a driving coil 4 both of which are disposed in proximity to an oscillator fork 2a. According to the present invention, the oscillating circuit 1 is connected to two driving oscillator coils 5 and 6 which are disposed with the magnetic cores thereof within the area or range of a rotor wheel 7. The rotor wheel 7 comprises tongues 8 which are magnetically excited and constitute identical magnetic poles. Further disposed at the rotor wheel 7 is a driving pinion 9 for the adjacent drive gear system. 1

According to FIG. 2, a self-stabilized oscillating circuit 1 .is provided, both oscillator coils 5 and 6 of which constitute directly the driving coils for the rotor wheel 7.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a first form of and construction of the rotor wheel 7. The latter consists of a thin metallic disc 11 of magnetic material which is positioned between two axially-magnetized permanent magnets 12. The permanent magnets are positioned or rest with identical poles against the disc 11 so that the same poles will result at the tongues 8. The entire arrangement is mounted on an armature shaft 13, which carries the driving pinion 9 at the bottom side thereof, and which is positioned in conventional bearings.

In order to maintain and produce electric oscillations, one coil and one capacitor (forming an LC combination or tuning circuit) are generally required. These components are connected in the manner of a self-excited oscillating circuit. Accordingly, one oscillating circuit, being tuned to the oscillating frequency and consisting of one coil and one capacitor, is needed in each oscillator-circuit. In the prior art, the coil of oscillating circuit served merely for producing the electric oscillations or timing signals. For the drive or actuation of the rotor wheel, separate coils where provided which had only the purpose or function of driving the rotor shaft by producing an alternating field. The present invention now proposes that the aforementioned oscillator coil and driving coil for the magnetic rotor wheel be combined into one coil, whereby considerable simplifications are attained in the circuit, as has been set forth above. As a result thereof, the drive mechanism can be made more reliable and less expensive to fabricate.

In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the two oscilla tor coils 5 and 6 are actually connected as part of an LC combination in oscillating circuit 1. However, the coils are physically located near the rotor wheel 7 so as to cause magnetic driving of the rotor wheel. The coils are alternately excited at a very constant frequency and magnitude so that the rotor wheel 7 is driven due to the magnetism being produced. The coils 5 and 6 are indicated in the circuits of FIGS. 10 to 13 as LI and L2.

The configuration of the tongues at the rotor wheel may be chosen as desired. Additionally, the tongues may be angularly bent either upwardly or downwardly as indicated by '8" in FIG. 3, which results in the advantage that the magnetic system of the oscillator coils may be accommodated in an improved manner with regard to space since, in this case, the magnetic coils 5 (and 6 not shown) are positioned so that their projections perpendicular to the plane of the disc fall within the diameter of the rotor, rendering possible a very compact design and construction.

As further shown in detail in FIG. 4, the rotor wheel may also have trapezoidal tongues 8 so that it is pulled more uniformly and more easily into the magnetic field of the coils. In this configuration the tongue will comprise a rectangular and a triangular portion. The area of the triangular portion should be about one-third the area of the entire tongue. The

arrangement is then made in such a manner that the main rectangular portion of a first tongue is positioned within the airgap of the core 6a of the oscillator coil 6, while the triangular portion of a second tongue of the rotor wheel is located the triangular portion of a second constituting a triangular portion opposite the core 5a of the oscillator coil 5. At the beginning of the oscillation of the circuit, the coil 6 is disconnected, whereas a pulse is imparted to the coil 5 and pulls the second tongue completely into its magnetic field. At the same time, the first tongue is moved so that its triangular portion comes within the airgap of oscillator coil 6. When the oscillator coil 6 is thereafter given the next-following pulse and the coil 5 is disconnected, the first tongue is pulled completely into the 'magnetic field of the coil 6. This procedure is repeated cyclically. Only the tongues of the rotor wheel are moved through the airgaps of the oscillator coils 6 and 5 during a continuous alternating stroke or rate of the pulse frequency and will thus result in a slower or more rapid rotation of the rotor wheel, depending upon the oscillating frequency.

In FIG. 5, curve a is a graphic representation of the pulse course or path of the coil 6, while curve b illustrates the course of the pulse for the coil 5. The oscillating circuit wiring is designed in such a manner that frequencies of, for example, between 60 and 500 Hz. may be utilized for the pulse operation, depending upon the requirements relative to the frequency division.

FIG. 6 illustrates in detail a second form of construction of a rotor wheel which consists of a ferrite ring 14 with poles 15 being magnetized thereon, which latter are positioned opposite the two driving or actuating coils 5 and 6. In this case, it v is possible to provide the oscillating system with only a single oscillating and driving coil.

According to FIG. 7, the rotor wheel which has been illustrated in further detail in FIG. 3 is caused to rotate by means of an oscillatingcoil arrangement that is disposed on a continuous yoke 16 having two pole shoes 17 and 18 As is evident from FIG. 8, a slot 19 is disposed at the ends of the pole shoes 17 and 18, respectively, and. the tongues 8 of the rotor wheel 7 freely travel therein with one tongue being within a slot while the other slot is free. The coil arrangement proper consists, for example, of two partial coils which are mounted on acoil body'20 and may be taken out either wired together or separately at the connections or terminals 21. As shown in FIG. 1, the ends 21 may be connected to the oscillating fork-stabilized oscillating circuit wiring or connection. When the driving coils are excited from the electronic connection a polarity is produced at the pole shoes 17 and 18, respectively, which alternates at the cadence or rate of the tuning fork frequency, and which either attracts or repels the stationary north or south polarity of the tongues 8 of the driving wheel 7, depending upon the position of the latter. Once the driving wheel has been impelled at a speed analogous to the frequency of oscillation, it continues to rotate due to the'alternate attraction and repulsion of the driving coil being magthe second translating gear and meshes or engages in any desired cog of the gear and, upon the disengagement of a corresponding lever 25, causes the gear and therewith the drive wheel 7 to assume a suitable speed of rotation. The starting spring may, of course, also be connected directly to the rotor wheel 7. 1

Finally, an automatic start of the rotor wheel may be effected, for example, by means of a slowly increasing switching frequency up to the theoretical frequency, and by subsequently continuing the further operation with the aid of the tuning fork generator.

FIG. 9'illustrates a coil arrangement in which the iron core 16 is in operative engagement with the two pole shoes 17 and 18 which latter are slotted at the ends thereof, as shown in FIG. 8. For the purpose of tuning the oscillation frequency, i.e. for regulating the operation, a tuning slug 22 of ferromagnetic material, which is adapted to be screwed within the iron core 16, is provided.

FIG. 10 shows an example of the wiring diagram for the electronic connection of system 1. The coils L1 and L2; denoted as 5 and 6 in the-previous discussion, are positioned on the iron core 16 connected in series and are bridged by a capacitor C1. One end of L1 is connected by way of a capaci tor C2 to the base of the transistor T1. The central tap of L1 and L2 is connected to the positive potential and, via a resistance R3, to voltage divider resistors R1, R2 extending to the base of the transistor. The connecting point between R3 and R2 extends, via a diode D1, to the negative potential. The diode D1due to the current-voltage characteristic and due to the temperature-compensating behavior thereof within the circuit-brings about a frequency stabilization of the entire oscillating circuit.

According to FIG. 11, the two coils L1 and L2 are separate and connected with each other by way of a capacitor C3. One end of L2 is connected to the collector of T1, and the other end thereof to the positive voltage. One end of L1 extends via a resistance R4 to a voltage or potential divider resistor R5 and to a diode D1. The other end of L1 is positioned at the base of T1. At the same time, the two outer ends of L1 and L2 are bridged by means of the capacitor C4.

FIG. 12 illustrates an oscillating fork-stabilized oscillating circuit wiring. The two coils L1 and L2 are connected with each other and the two outer ends thereof are in operative engagement with the collectors of two transistors T1 and T2 and are bridged by means of the capacitor C1. The central tap extends to the positive potential and, via a setting regulator resistor R1, to the base of the transistor T2. A load resistor R6 is disposed between one end of L1 and the collector of the transistor T2. The base of the transistor T2 is further disposed at the oscillating circuit L3, C5 for the tuning fork 2a which circuit is connected, via the capacitor C6, to the negative potential.

FIG. 13 shows a modified provision of the wiring according to FIG. 12 in which a further oscillator coil L4 is provided between one end of L1 and the load resistor R6, this coil being positioned within the area of or in proximity to the tuning fork 2a.

Iclairn:

1. An electronically-controlled drive mechanism, particularly for clock drive systems, comprising an electronic stabilized oscillating circuit, said circuit including at least one coil connected in circuit to effect oscillation, said at least one oscillator coil being physically located adjacent a magnetized rotor wheel for magnetic interaction with a field generated by said coil to drive said rotor wheel driving an adjacent drive mechanism, said rotor wheel comprising a thin metallic disc, said metallic disc having several tongues at its circumference, said disc being excited by a concentrically disposed permanent magnet system for forming identical magnetic poles at the tongues, said tongues being arranged opposite said at least one oscillator coil.

2. Drive mechanism according to claim 1, further characterized in that said circuit includes two oscillator coils each provided with a core having an airgap, said two coils being so arranged with respect to said tongues that about two-thirds of a first one of said tongues will be positioned in said air gap of said core of one of said two coils, while a second one of said tongues of said rotor wheel is located with about a third thereof opposite said core of the other of said two coils.

3. Drive mechanism according to claim 2, further characterized in that the tongues are trapezoidal.

4. Drive mechanism according to claim 1, further characterized in that the tongues are bent at an angle to the surface of said disc and in that said at least one coil is so disposed that its perpendicular projection falls within the circumference of said disc.

5. Drive mechanism according to claim 1, further characterized in that said circuit includes two oscillator coils, said two coils being arranged on an iron core with two pole shoes which extend within the are of said tongues of said rotor wheel.

6. Drive mechanism according to claim 5, further characterized in that each of said two pole shoes has a slot between which said tongues may move freely, one of said tongues being within one said slot while the other said slot is free.

7. Drive mechanism according to claim 1, further characterized in that said rotor wheel comprises two axially-magnetized cylindrical permanent magnets mounted with identical poles on opposite sides of said disc, said rotor wheel being connected to a driving pinion by means of an armature shaft.

8. Drive mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that a starting spring is disposed within said mechanism.

9. Drive mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that said circuit includes two oscillator coils, said coils being mounted on a hollow iron core, said iron core being threaded to receive a tuning slug.

10. Drive mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said oscillating circuit is characterized in that two series-connected oscillator coils are arranged on an iron core, said two coils being bridged with a first capacitor, one end of said two coils being connected via a second capacitor with the base of a transistor, and the central tap between the coils being connected with a source of positive potential and via a resistance to a voltage divider and via said resistance and a diode to a negative potential terminal of said source.

11. Drive mechanism according to claim I, wherein said oscillating circuit is characterized in that two oscillator coils are separate and connected with each other by way of a first capacitor, wherein one end of one of said two coils is connected to the collector of a transistor, the other end of said one coil being connected to the positive voltage terminal'of a voltage source, one end of the other of said two coils extending via a resistance to a voltage divider and to a diode, said diode being connected to the negative potential terminal of said source, and the other end of said other coil is connected to the base of said transistor and via a second capacity to the one end of said one coil.

12. Drive mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said oscillating circuit is characterized in that two series-connected oscillator coils are in parallel with a first capacitor and are in operative connection with the collectors of two transistors, a load resistor provided in the feed line to the collector of one of said transistors, and in that the central tap between said coils is connected to the positive terminal of a source of potential and, via a setting regulator resistor to an oscillating circuit for a tuning fork, said setting regulator being connected with the base of said one transistor and via a second capacitor to the negative potential terminal of said source.

13. Drive mechanism according to claim 12, further characterized in that a further oscillator coil for the tuning fork is positioned in the connection from said series-connected coils to said second capacity.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 579 974 Dated y 25 1971 Karl Schmidt Inventor(s) It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

On the cover sheet [31] "F33765" should read B33765 the illustrative drawing on the cover sheet should appear as shownl b e low 050L114 Tl/VG CIRCUIT Signed and sealed this 16th day of May 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM PC4050 (10-69) USCOMM-DC 60376-P69 USv GQVERNMENT PRINTING DFFKCE 1 I569 "36-l34 

1. An electronically-controlled drive mechanism, particularly for clock drive systems, comprising an electronic stabilized oscillating circuit, said circuit including at least one coil connected in circuit to effect oscillation, said at least one oscillator coil being physically located adjacent a magnetized rotor wheel for magnetic interaction with a field generated by said coil to drive said rotor wheel driving an adjacent drive mechanism, said rotor wheel comprising a thin metallic disc, said metallic disc having several tongues at its circumference, said disc being excited by a concentrically disposed permanent magnet system for forming identical magnetic poles at the tongues, said tongues being arranged opposite said at least one oscillator coil.
 2. Drive mechanism according to claim 1, further characterized in that said circuit includes two oscillator coils each provided with a core having an airgap, said two coils being so arranged with respect to said tongues that about two-thirds of a first one of said tongues will be positioned in said air gap of said core of one of said two coils, while a second one of said tongues of said rotor wheel is located with about a third thereof opposite said core of the other of said two coils.
 3. Drive mechanism according to claim 2, further characterized in that the tongues are trapezoidal.
 4. Drive mechanism according to claim 1, further characterized in that the tongues are bent at an angle to the surface of said disc and in that said at least one coil is so disposed that its perpendicular projection falls within the circumference of said disc.
 5. Drive mechanism according to claim 1, further characterized in that said circuit includes two oscillator coils, said two coils being arranged on an iron core with two pole shoes which extend within the are of said tongues of said rotor wheel.
 6. Drive mechanism according to claim 5, further characterized in that each of said two pole shoes has a slot between which said tongues may move freely, one of said tongues being within one said slot while the other said slot is free.
 7. Drive mechanism according to claim 1, further characterized in that said rotor wheel comprises two axially-magnetized cylindrical permanent magnets mounted with identical poles on opposite sides of said disc, said rotor wheel being connected to a driving pinion by means of an armature shaft.
 8. Drive mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that a starting spring is disposed within said mechanism.
 9. Drive mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that said circuit includes two oscillator coils, said coils being mounted on a hollow iron core, said iron core being threaded to receive a tuning slug.
 10. Drive mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said oscillating circuit is characterized in that two series-connected oscillator coils are arranged on an iron core, said two coils being bridged with a first capacitor, one end of said two coils being connected via a second capacitor with the base of a transistor, and the central tap between the coils being connected with a source of positive potential and via a resistance to a voltage divider and via said resistance and a diode to a negative potential terminal of said source.
 11. Drive mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said oscillating circuit is characterized in that two oscillator coils are separatE and connected with each other by way of a first capacitor, wherein one end of one of said two coils is connected to the collector of a transistor, the other end of said one coil being connected to the positive voltage terminal of a voltage source, one end of the other of said two coils extending via a resistance to a voltage divider and to a diode, said diode being connected to the negative potential terminal of said source, and the other end of said other coil is connected to the base of said transistor and via a second capacity to the one end of said one coil.
 12. Drive mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said oscillating circuit is characterized in that two series-connected oscillator coils are in parallel with a first capacitor and are in operative connection with the collectors of two transistors, a load resistor provided in the feed line to the collector of one of said transistors, and in that the central tap between said coils is connected to the positive terminal of a source of potential and, via a setting regulator resistor to an oscillating circuit for a tuning fork, said setting regulator being connected with the base of said one transistor and via a second capacitor to the negative potential terminal of said source.
 13. Drive mechanism according to claim 12, further characterized in that a further oscillator coil for the tuning fork is positioned in the connection from said series-connected coils to said second capacity. 